As of August 2026, New Hampshire solar incentives are net metering (exports credited at about 85% of retail, locked through 2040), no state sales tax on equipment, and a local-option property-tax exemption under RSA 72:61-72 if your town adopted it. The state rebate was repealed in 2024, and the 30% federal 25D homeowner credit ended December 31, 2025.
- Net metering (the main benefit): exports are credited at 100% of the energy and transmission charge plus 25% of distribution, roughly 85% of retail, and systems on the alternative tariff are grandfathered through December 31, 2040 (NH PUC via DSIRE). See our New Hampshire net metering guide for the exact formula.
- No state sales tax: New Hampshire has no sales tax, so your solar equipment is bought tax-free with no exemption to file (DSIRE).
- Local property-tax exemption: under RSA 72:61-72, a town may vote to exempt solar’s added value from your assessment, but only if your municipality adopted it (DSIRE). Confirm with your assessor.
- Class II RECs: your generation can earn tradable renewable energy certificates, but the value is modest and variable (DSIRE).
- The state rebate is gone: the Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate was repealed by Senate Bill 303 (2024), effective June 2024, so it is not available for new projects (NH Department of Energy).
- No state solar income-tax credit: New Hampshire has no broad income tax, so there is no state credit to claim, and the 30% federal 25D credit ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 (IRS).
New Hampshire solar incentives work by subtraction, not by stacking rebates. There is no state cash rebate and no state income-tax credit here, so the value is the electricity you stop buying, stable net-metering credits, no sales tax at checkout, and a property-tax break only if your town adopted it. All of that sits on top of some of the highest power prices in the country, about 27.33 cents per kWh (EIA retail sales, residential NH, as of May 2026). This page walks through each piece, who keeps it, and the catch worth knowing, then points you to the net-metering mechanics and your local numbers. For the full state overview and payback math, start with our New Hampshire solar hub.
The New Hampshire solar incentive stack in 2026
Here is every incentive a 2026 New Hampshire homeowner can actually use, what each one does, and its current status. Net metering is the engine; the tax treatment lowers the cost of getting there, and one former program is now closed.
| Incentive | What it does | 2026 status | Who receives it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net metering (NEM 2.0) | Credits your exported power on your bill | Active: 100% energy and transmission plus 25% distribution, grandfathered through Dec 31, 2040 | The utility account holder | NH PUC via DSIRE |
| No state sales tax | Solar equipment is bought tax-free | Always; New Hampshire has no sales tax | The buyer | DSIRE |
| Local property-tax exemption (RSA 72:61-72) | Excludes solar’s added value from your assessment | Available only if your town adopted RSA 72:61-72 | The property owner | DSIRE |
| Class II RECs | Tradable certificates for your generation | Active but modest and variable | The system owner | DSIRE |
| State residential rebate | Former upfront cash rebate (~$0.20/watt, up to $1,000) | Repealed by SB 303 (2024), effective June 2024; not available for new projects | No one; it was repealed | NH Department of Energy |
| Federal residential (Section 25D) | A 30% homeowner credit | Ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 | No 2026 homeowner-buyer | IRS |
Programs and tariffs change. Net-metering terms, your town’s property-tax adoption, and REC values should be confirmed with each source before you decide.
According to MySolarFY’s analysis (as of August 2026), a typical 7.6 kW New Hampshire system produces about 9,500 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts) and offsets roughly $2,400 to $2,600 at the state’s 27.33 cents per kWh residential rate (EIA, as of May 2026), which is the single biggest source of value in a state with no rebate and no income-tax credit. This is a MySolarFY estimate built from the verified rate and modeled production, not a quote.
Now here is how each piece of the stack actually works.
Net metering: the engine of the New Hampshire stack
Net metering is where New Hampshire is genuinely strong. Under the state’s NEM 2.0 tariff, set by the Public Utilities Commission in Docket DE 16-576, exported power is credited at 100% of the energy and transmission charge plus 25% of the distribution charge, which works out to about 85% of the retail rate, not a full 1-to-1 credit (DSIRE). The real advantage is stability: systems on the alternative tariff are grandfathered through December 31, 2040, so you lock in the rules for years. This applies to Eversource New Hampshire, Unitil, and Liberty Utilities; the New Hampshire Electric Co-op sets its own terms, so confirm with your provider. For the exact formula and what each utility pays, read why New Hampshire net metering is not 1 to 1, and for the general idea of export credits, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
Tax treatment: no sales tax, no income-tax credit, a local property break
New Hampshire barely taxes solar, and that cuts both ways. The state has no sales tax, so you pay nothing in sales tax on your equipment, with no exemption form to file. It also has no broad income tax, which means there is no state solar income-tax credit to claim, so do not expect a line on a state return. The one local tax break is a property-tax exemption under RSA 72:61-72: a municipality may vote to exempt the value solar adds to your home from its assessment, so a system does not raise your property-tax bill, but the exemption exists only in towns that adopted it (DSIRE). Check your town’s status with your assessor before you count on it. In Nashua, Concord, and other adopting municipalities the exemption is real money over time; in a town that never adopted it, it does not apply.
Class II RECs: real but modest
Your generation can earn certificates, but do not build your budget on them. New Hampshire solar can qualify for Class II Renewable Energy Certificates in the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard market, which you or an aggregator can sell (DSIRE). The value is modest and it moves with the market, so treat any REC income as a small, variable extra rather than a core part of your payback. If you own the system, the RECs are yours; on a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels usually keeps them.
The state rebate: repealed, and why it still shows up
The honest part: New Hampshire’s state rebate is closed to new projects. The state used to pay a Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate of about $0.20 per watt, up to $1,000, and that old program page still ranks high in search results. But New Hampshire repealed it through Senate Bill 303 (2024), effective June 2024, so it is not available for any new project in 2026 (NH Department of Energy). Any quote or guide that still folds that rebate into your numbers is out of date. Leave it out of your math, and be wary of a sales pitch that leans on it.
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The federal picture: 25D ended, what remains
The federal homeowner credit is gone, and New Hampshire never had much state cash to replace it. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a New Hampshire homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS OBBB FAQ; SEIA). New Hampshire’s net metering, its lack of a sales tax, and the local property-tax exemption were not affected. One federal credit does survive, but it is not yours to claim: Section 48E is a commercial credit claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner, and it does not bring back the 25D homeowner credit that ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit). For the full federal timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
How you pay decides which incentives you keep
New Hampshire has no upfront state cash to capture, so the ownership question is simpler here, but it still decides who keeps the RECs and the property-tax break.
| How you pay | Up-front cost | Who owns the system | RECs and property-tax break |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Full system price | You | Yours, in your name |
| Solar loan | Little or none, financed over time | You | Yours, in your name |
| Lease or PPA | $0-up-front where you qualify | A third-party company | The company usually keeps them; net-metering credits still hit your account |
If you own the system (cash or a solar loan), the net-metering credits, any RECs, and the property-tax exemption where your town offers it are all yours. If you lease or sign a PPA, the company that owns the panels usually keeps the RECs, and your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost, while the net-metering credits still apply to your account. Neither path gives a 2026 New Hampshire homeowner the federal residential credit, since 25D ended after December 31, 2025. If you want the $0 down route, our guide to no upfront cost solar in New Hampshire walks through the lease, PPA, and loan paths, and our breakdown of how $0-down solar really works in New Hampshire shows what each path costs over time. Ask a tax professional about your own situation; MySolarFY does not provide tax advice.
New Hampshire solar incentives by city and utility
New Hampshire sits in our national Solar by State guide. To see how your utility credits solar and what a system costs, read our New Hampshire net metering guide, our New Hampshire solar cost and payback guide, and the sourced numbers on our New Hampshire solar data and statistics page.
Exploring a specific market? See our local solar guides for Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth, Dover, and Rochester.
Frequently asked questions
What solar incentives does New Hampshire offer in 2026?
New Hampshire solar incentives are net metering, tax treatment, and RECs, not a rebate. Exports are credited at 100% of energy and transmission plus 25% of distribution, grandfathered through December 31, 2040 (DSIRE). The state has no sales tax, so equipment is bought tax-free, and many towns offer a local property-tax exemption under RSA 72:61-72. Solar can earn modest Class II RECs. New Hampshire has no state rebate (it was repealed in 2024) and no state solar income-tax credit, and the 30% federal 25D credit ended after December 31, 2025.
Does New Hampshire have a state solar tax credit or rebate?
No. New Hampshire does not offer a state solar income-tax credit, because it has no broad income tax, and its Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate was repealed by Senate Bill 303 (2024), effective June 2024, so it is closed to new projects (NH Department of Energy). The tax benefits that remain are structural: no state sales tax on equipment, and a local-option property-tax exemption under RSA 72:61-72 in towns that adopted it.
How does the New Hampshire property-tax exemption work?
Under RSA 72:61-72, a New Hampshire municipality may vote to exempt the added value that solar gives your home from its property assessment, so installing a system does not raise your property-tax bill (DSIRE). It is a local option, not a statewide guarantee, so the exemption applies only if your town adopted it and on the terms the town set. Confirm your municipality’s status with your local assessor before you factor it into your numbers, since adoption and the exemption amount vary town by town.
What happened to the New Hampshire solar rebate?
It was repealed. New Hampshire used to pay a Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate of about $0.20 per watt, up to $1,000, but Senate Bill 303 (2024) repealed that program effective June 2024, so it is not available for any new project in 2026 (NH Department of Energy). The old program page still ranks high in search results, so many guides and quotes have not caught up. Do not count on that rebate in your 2026 solar math.
Did the federal solar tax credit end, and does it affect New Hampshire?
Yes. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a New Hampshire homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it. New Hampshire’s own value, net metering through 2040, no sales tax, and the local property-tax exemption, was not affected. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner, and it does not restore the 25D homeowner credit that ended after December 31, 2025.
Do I still qualify for New Hampshire solar incentives if I lease or sign a PPA?
Net metering follows the utility account, so you get the bill credits whether you own, lease, or sign a PPA. The RECs and the property-tax exemption go to the system owner, so on a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels usually keeps the RECs, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. Because New Hampshire has no upfront state rebate to capture, the ownership question matters less here than in states like Massachusetts or New York.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY editorial team. Figures were verified against the linked New Hampshire sources (NH Department of Energy, NH PUC), DSIRE, EIA, and IRS as of August 2026, and the savings estimate follows our data and methodology; net-metering terms, your town’s property-tax adoption, and REC values change, so confirm current terms with each source before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
